Anorexia Nervosa: An
Eating Disorder

Prevalence

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is
not as uncommon as is usually believed.1 in 200 women suffer from the eating
disorder. 90 percent of anorexia nervose are young girls in between 12 and 30
years of age; the peak incidence being at 16 to 17 years of age.

Right from 13 years of
age, anorexia nervose is noted to be more common in girls. And as children
progress through their teens, girls are found to be 3 times more frequently
affected. This could possibly be, because puberty associated body
structure changes in teenage girls, make them more prone to negative body image than the
boys at that age.

Causative factors

Psycho-social, genetic, biological and environmental factors make
children prone to grossly distorted concept of their body image and unrealistic fear of weight gain that leads to self-starvation.

50% of anorexic
nervose also suffer from teenage depression, but are not inclined to substance
abuse, alcoholism or suicidal tendencies. However, the death rate if not
intervened early and efficiently is high. Death occurs due to disturbed body
metabolism, hormonal imbalance and compromised heart functions.